identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
3F6C66CF8DF85F099CFEC309A6A1F2B9.text	3F6C66CF8DF85F099CFEC309A6A1F2B9.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pseudothelogorgia , van Ofwegen 1994	<div><p>Pseudothelogorgia van Ofwegen, 1994</p><p>Pseudothelogorgia van Ofwegen, 1994: 19–21, figs 1–2 [original description, type species designated].</p><p>— Pseudothelogorgia: Samimi-Namin et al. 2011: fig. 1 [first in situ record, Gulf of Oman, 18 m depth].</p><p>= Lignella (partim): van Ofwegen 1990: 164–168 [as Lignella hartogi; now Pseudothelogorgia hartogi (van Ofwegen, 1990)].</p><p>Type species.</p><p>Lignella hartogi van Ofwegen, 1990, by original designation.</p><p>Remarks.</p><p>Pseudothelogorgia was established by van Ofwegen (1994) to accommodate Lignella hartogi van Ofwegen, 1990, which was originally assigned to Keroeididae . The genus is distinguished from both Atlantic Thelogorgia and Indo-Pacific Keroeides by unique sclerite morphology and, as shown here, by molecular divergence.</p><p>Two specimens — USNM 49819 (Philippines, 68 m depth) and USNM 1006517 (Palau, 207 m depth) — were identified by F. M. Bayer and S. D. Cairns but have not been examined by us in detail. However, SEM images provided by S. D. Cairns confirm their placement in the genus. These records are currently included in Pseudothelogorgia, but given their geographic distance from the type locality, future molecular data and detailed sclerite analyses will be needed to determine whether they represent P. hartogi or closely related, distinct species.</p><p>Distribution.</p><p>Indo-Pacific, shallow to mesophotic (18–207 m depth).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3F6C66CF8DF85F099CFEC309A6A1F2B9	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Pensoft via Plazi	Samimi-Namin, Kaveh;McFadden, Catherine S.	Samimi-Namin, Kaveh, McFadden, Catherine S. (2025): Integrative phylogenomic and morphological evidence for Pseudothelogorgiidae fam. nov., with a redescription of Pseudothelogorgia hartogi (Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea). ZooKeys 1261: 201-221, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.171874
3BC36559C6F65562A149D6003AE46D7B.text	3BC36559C6F65562A149D6003AE46D7B.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pseudothelogorgia hartogi (van Ofwegen 1990)	<div><p>Pseudothelogorgia hartogi (van Ofwegen, 1990)</p><p>Figs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10</p><p>= Lignella hartogi van Ofwegen, 1990: 164–168, figs 1–3 [original description].</p><p>— Pseudothelogorgia hartogi (van Ofwegen, 1990): van Ofwegen, 1994: 19–21, figs 1–2 [new comb.].</p><p>— Pseudothelogorgia hartogi: Samimi-Namin et al. 2011: fig. 1 [first live record, Daymaniyat Islands, Gulf of Oman, 18 m depth].</p><p>Type locality.</p><p>Arabian Sea, 22.53°N, 68.12°E, 57 m (holotype USNM 83607).</p><p>Material examined.</p><p>Holotype: India • Arabian Sea, India, Gujarat; R/V Anton Bruun; <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=68.12&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=22.53" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 68.12/lat 22.53)">Cruise 4 B; Sta. 221 A</a>, 22.53°N, 68.12°E; 18 November 1963; sediment type sandy green clay (mud); 57 m depth; USNM 83607 .</p><p>Paratypes: India • 2 colonies and some fragments, Arabian Sea, India, Gujarat; R/V Anton Bruun; <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=68.12&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=22.53" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 68.12/lat 22.53)">Cruise 4 B; Sta. 221 A</a>; 22.53°N, 68.12°E; 18 November 1963; sediment type sandy green clay (mud); 57 m depth; RMNH.COEL.17782 • 4 colonies and many fragments; same collection data as preceding; USNM 81904 (microscope slides only) .</p><p>Other material.</p><p>Oman • (one microscope slide 1602), Gulf of Oman, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=58.1042&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=23.862" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 58.1042/lat 23.862)">Daymaniyat Islands (D 4)</a>; 23.8620°N, 58.1042°E; 18 m depth; rocky wall; coll. K. Samimi-Namin; 23 May 2009; RMNH.COEL.39634 • Gulf of Oman, Daymaniyat Islands; Sta. 59; coll. K. Samimi-Namin; 29 January 2022, 15–17 m depth, UF 16054 (BOMAN 12120) .</p><p>Description.</p><p>The present redescription of Pseudothelogorgia hartogi is based primarily on paratype material (RMNH.COEL.17782). The holotype (USNM 83607) was examined from fragments and permanent slides housed in the RMNH collection, but the colony material was insufficient for SEM. Paratypes, collected at the same station and date as the holotype (Cruise 4 B, Sta. 221 A), are morphologically identical in colony form and sclerite composition (van Ofwegen 1990, 1994). Accordingly, SEM images and detailed sclerite descriptions are derived from paratypes, with consistency between holotype fragments, slides, and paratypes confirmed in this study. In addition, recently collected material from the Gulf of Oman (UF 16054, RMNH.COEL.39634) provided supplementary information, including molecular data and the in situ photographs of living colonies.</p><p>The paratypes are arborescent colonies about 15 cm tall with sparse lateral branching (Fig. 3 A). The branches arise irregularly but are mostly dichotomous, and reach a length of 7 cm. The polyps are cylindrical, arranged in a spiral around the branches (Fig. 3 C). They are not retractable into the coenenchyme of the branches, but they are contracted and curved inward toward the axis. The main stem of the colony lacks polyps. There are several parallel furrows on the main axis which extend all the way up and into the smaller branches (Fig. 3 B).</p><p>Polyps and coenenchyme of branches with slender spindles up to about 0.45 mm long with spines and simple tubercles (Fig. 4).</p><p>The polyps have similar spindles up to 0.25 mm long (Fig. 4 A), arranged in eight longitudinal tracts when contracted. At the base of the polyps the spindles are irregularly arranged more obliquely and transversely. Tentacles with small spiny rods up to 0.10 mm long (Fig. 4 A). The length of the spindles decreases from the main branch and base of the polyp towards the tentacles.</p><p>Coenenchyme of branches is thin and translucent, with spindles with simple and complex tubercles up to 0.45 mm long (Fig. 5 A). Some of these large spindles are bent and have larger complex tubercles on one side (Fig. 5 A). Capstans present only in the coenenchyme of the main stem (Fig. 5 B).</p><p>Axial cortex composed of fused sclerites (Fig. 5 C) surrounding a central tube.</p><p>Colour.</p><p>Preserved colonies are cream. Tissue on live colonies (additional material) is translucent, and the colonies appear light cream; polyps translucent (Fig. 6). All sclerites colourless.</p><p>Variations.</p><p>All examined material is consistent in colony morphology and sclerite characters, with very little intraspecific variation observed. Polyps are spirally arranged in all specimens; in preserved colonies they appear contracted and curved inward (Fig. 3 C), whereas in living colonies they are extended (Fig. 6). Preserved colonies are cream to beige (Fig. 3), while living colonies are light cream with translucent polyps (Fig. 6). Sclerite types are consistent across specimens, with only minor variation in the relative abundance of capstans and in the development of tubercles (Figs 4, 5, 7 – 10). The fused, pavement-like axial cortex is uniform in all material (Fig. 11 A, B).</p><p>Remarks.</p><p>The sclerites of Pseudothelogorgia hartogi differ from species of the genus Thelogorgia in the following characters: the fused sclerites of the axial cortex and the anthocodial rods are smaller, and no pharyngeal spindles are present. The sclerites of the distal part of the polyps of P. hartogi are distinctly smaller and the coenenchyme of the stem contains spindles, rods and capstans. The material (RMNH.COEL.17194) incorrectly identified by van Ofwegen in 1990 as Lignella richardii and used for comparison with Pseudothelogorgia hartogi is now identified as Thelogorgia vossi Bayer, 1991 .</p><p>Distribution.</p><p>Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman; Indian Ocean.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3BC36559C6F65562A149D6003AE46D7B	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Pensoft via Plazi	Samimi-Namin, Kaveh;McFadden, Catherine S.	Samimi-Namin, Kaveh, McFadden, Catherine S. (2025): Integrative phylogenomic and morphological evidence for Pseudothelogorgiidae fam. nov., with a redescription of Pseudothelogorgia hartogi (Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea). ZooKeys 1261: 201-221, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.171874
C60E568E2E2B5240ACF740B661A195FD.text	C60E568E2E2B5240ACF740B661A195FD.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pseudothelogorgiidae Samimi-Namin & McFadden 2025	<div><p>Pseudothelogorgiidae fam. nov.</p><p>Type genus.</p><p>Pseudothelogorgia van Ofwegen, 1994 .</p><p>Excluded from Keroeididae Kinoshita, 1910 (see van Ofwegen 1990, 1994).</p><p>Included genus.</p><p>Pseudothelogorgia van Ofwegen, 1994 .</p><p>Diagnosis.</p><p>Octocorals with a skeletal axis of consolidated sclerites embedded within a proteinaceous or calcitic matrix with hollow central core (no cross-chambering observed). Axial sclerites smooth, fused, densely packed around the central core forming pavement-like surface layer. Colonies arborescent, branching irregularly to dichotomously; branches cylindrical. Polyps monomorphic, non-retractile into the thin coenenchyme, arranged spirally along branches. Longitudinal furrows present along stem and branches. Polyps with tuberculate rods and spindles arranged as points; collaret absent; tentacles with rods; pharyngeal sclerites absent. Sclerites of the coenenchyme are rods and spindles with simple or complex tubercles. Capstans present in coenenchyme of the main stem. Azooxanthellate.</p><p>Remarks.</p><p>The genus Pseudothelogorgia and its type species ( P. hartogi) were previously included in Keroeididae Kinoshita, 1910 (van Ofwegen 1990, 1994). However, recent molecular phylogenetic analyses (this study; Quattrini et al. 2024) and unique morphological features demonstrate that Pseudothelogorgia represents a distinct lineage, supporting its exclusion from Keroeididae and the establishment of Pseudothelogorgiidae fam. nov.</p><p>Pseudothelogorgiidae fam. nov. differs from Plexauridae in having a thin, translucent stem coenenchyme containing capstans, rods, and spindles with complex tubercles, and an axial cortex of fused sclerites surrounding a hollow core, rather than the thick, loculated coenenchyme with separate inner and outer layers and unfused axial cortex sclerites typical of Plexauridae .</p><p>Distribution.</p><p>Indo-West Pacific, shallow to mesophotic (18–207 m depth).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/C60E568E2E2B5240ACF740B661A195FD	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Pensoft via Plazi	Samimi-Namin, Kaveh;McFadden, Catherine S.	Samimi-Namin, Kaveh, McFadden, Catherine S. (2025): Integrative phylogenomic and morphological evidence for Pseudothelogorgiidae fam. nov., with a redescription of Pseudothelogorgia hartogi (Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea). ZooKeys 1261: 201-221, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.171874
